1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a safety lock for a semiautomatic handgun. The present invention is particularly directed towards a magazine gun lock safety which activates to ON when the magazine is removed from the gun handle. With the magazine removed from the gun handle, the trigger mechanism is deactivated and the gun can not be fired. When the magazine is re-inserted into the gun handle, the safety is returned to a position of OFF, the gun trigger becomes operational, and the gun can be fired.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As can be seen in patents examined during a patent search, with the development of multiple bullet holding magazines and the automatic loading of handguns, a need was seen for a safety device to prevent inadvertent firing of the gun when the magazine was removed or partly removed from the gun handle. Illustrative of this need is U.S. Pat. No. 1,024,932, issued to G. V. Haeghen on Apr. 30, 1912. This early patent shows different mechanics for deactivating the trigger of an older autoloading handgun, one by removal of the magazine and one by rocking the barrel of the gun to set the safety. Other similar safety devices are also shown in the loop trigger arrangement of the Rising patent issued May 16, 1916, U.S. Pat. No. 1,183,115, and by Artamendi of Barcelona, Spain, in his American U.S. Pat. No. 1,416,671, issued May 23, 1922, the latter being a safety for magazine withdrawal in a completely restructured semiautomatic handgun.
Some of the later weapons had the safety devices as a part of the manufacturing process. Examples include the "Automatic Loading Firearm" of the A. Obregon patent dated Apr. 26, 1958, U.S. Pat. No. 2,115,041, a lever safety device; and the Thomas "Semi-Automatic Firearm," of U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,325, dated Dec. 31, 1974, showing a magazine removal safety bar.
Further developments in safety devices featuring removal and insertion of the magazine are seen in the rod activated safety of Tansley, U.S. Pat. No. 1,638,068, Aug. 9, 1927; the plunger device of Roper, U.S. Pat. No. 2,372,519, dated Mar. 27, 1945, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,138, issued Jan. 31, 1984, to Sceecamp, a spring mechanism to block trigger action.
The foregoing patents are presented as representative of the developing art in trigger deactivating safety devices most incorporating removal and insertion of the magazine from an semiautomatic handgun. As described hereinafter, the safety catch of the present invention uses simple mechanics that improves its effectiveness over those disclosed in the past art patents.